This paper examines how outcome-based learning can be achieved by building up a scheme called Program Outcome assessment (POA). The objectives of POA are twofold: ensuring that program leaders and program team members to achieve the program outcomes and regularly helping them to reflect on the ways in which how program outcomes can be reviewed and achieved. While outcome-based learning focuses on the achievement of both courses intended learning outcomes and programs intended learning outcomes, POA is designed to focus on the specific achievement and attainment of the program intended learning outcomes. For program leaders and coordinators inexperienced in outcome-based learning, the program intended learning outcomes have two main weaknesses: they are written and designed qualitatively in a very complex manner, and they are too numerous quantitatively. The Program Outcome Assessment (POA) aims at addressing these two common weaknesses of academics and program administrators inexperienced in adopting outcome-based learning method in their program administration, teaching and students’ learning. The POA at the HKU SPACE is used as a case study to show how an educational institution can consolidate and perfect quality assurance by building up the POA. Firstly, pilot programs were chosen to formulate and implement the POA, which focuses on (1) the content of Programs Intended Learning Outcomes (PILOs), (2) the need for assessment rubrics to achieve these PILOs, (3) the need for a template to assess and evaluate the progress of implementing the PILOs, and (4) the regular review and reflection on how PILOs can be better achieved. The entire process is systematic, comprehensive, self-reflective, taking into account students’ learning standard, students’ feedbacks and annual monitoring reports. The implementation of POA is also proceeding into several stages: the pilot stage, the implementation stage, and the constant review stage. In short, the introduction of POA can enhance teaching effectiveness, students’ learning experiences and most importantly quality assurance in the processes of teaching and learning.

Author Profile(s)
Lo Shiu Hing is Professor and Deputy Direct (Arts and Sciences) at HKU SPACE. He is also responsible for the training and development of teaching and learning.